


Safeguard

by deadspacedame



Category: Avatar: Legend of Korra
Genre: Cuddling & Snuggling, F/M, Fluff, Hurt/Comfort, Mako is such a worry-wart, Nightmares, cant sleep
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-05-21
Updated: 2016-05-21
Packaged: 2018-06-09 20:35:31
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,176
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6922456
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/deadspacedame/pseuds/deadspacedame
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Mako has nightmares about Korra being attacked in book 3 :D</p>
            </blockquote>





	Safeguard

He woke with a start, his heart pounded and ached inside his chest. He couldn't escape the nightmares, they haunted him every time he closed his eyes, and took every ounce of energy straight out of his body. Sweat dripped down his temples, and he pushed his legs off the bed, elbows on his knees, head in his hands. He felt stuck, claustrophobic. His tank top wrapped tightly around his body, he tugged at it. Since the Red Lotus attacked, he couldn't sleep. Memories of Korra flung over Ghazan's shoulder, her head flopping side to side with no control… how her body was weak and motionless.

His stomach flopped, the dreams are too real. Way too real.

Pushing off the bed, he quickly made his way down the hall, skidding to a halt in front of the Avatar's room and pushed it open. The lights were off and there was a small mound under the covers. Quietly, Mako made his way over - and just before he could look at the face - the body shifted and the blankets fell away, revealing a half-asleep Korra. She laid on her stomach, her hair was tangled over her head, and Mako reached a hand over and lightly fixed it.

"Mako?" Korra groaned, shifting again to sit up, the bed creaking under her weight. "What are you doing?"

He stood there awkwardly, not wanting to tell her about the nightmares. "Nothing. I, uh, thought I heard something." he turned and started heading back to the door. "Sorry to wake you."

"Wait," Korra said, pushing fallen hair out of her face. Mako couldn't stop staring at her. She was beautiful. Her bright blue eyes, her dark mocha skin. One strap of her white sleeping tank top hung limply off her shoulder, and he remembered when his hands used to run down the slope of her arms, and how he used to trace her collarbone with the tip of his finger, how her hands curled around his so naturally.

He blinked and looked away.

"This is the third time this week you've come in here to check on me," She stated. "What's really going on?"

Mako's throat went tight, his knuckles white on the door handle. He couldn't tell her. What would she think? That he's some paranoid puppy? That thoughts flood his mind of what could happen to her when he's not there? She was the Avatar, she could handle herself. The last thing she needed was someone constantly anxious around her, causing her to be unbalanced.

"Mako?"

He sighed and turned to face her, she always was able to pull down his barriers. "It's nightmares. I keep thinking of the attack, and how if Bolin didn't wake up, you would've been taken."

Her eyes softened as he spoke.

"I keep dreaming that they get away… and that I lose you."

She swallowed, not saying anything. The air was thick, and all he wanted to do was go back to his room, and to escape the power of her stare.

The bed shifted again, and he looked at her, noticing how she now sat on the edge of the mattress. "Come here."

His heart twisted. "Korra… I don't know if -,"

"Look, I know what happened. It was spontaneous, and I know that anything could happen again. But hey, look at me. Mako, I'm right here, and I'm fine. You're fine. Everyone is okay. They didn't win."

The muscles in his neck tensed. "But they could've! If we didn't wake up, if we didn't -,"

She shook her head. "Mako, stop."

He did.

"Listen to me, you're going to stress yourself out thinking like that," her voice was tired, and he was suddenly swamped with guilt for waking her yet again. "You need to relax. They're not here right now, and right now, I'm alive and exhausted and you're alive and exhausted. Listen, if it will make you feel any better, I know a way you can keep a closer watch on me. There is a perfectly good mattress right here, so just come lay down and sleep."

He pointed to the door, "But I have -,"

She nodded. "Yeah, I know. But yours is probably cold by now. And I know you, you'll go back there and just keep thinking, making yourself more uncomfortable. At least here, you know I'm safe."

He hesitated slightly, before finally making his way over to her. She pulled the blankets back to let him in, and once he laid down, she pulled them back up over both of them. He was tense and still, laying flat on his back, arms pressed to his sides.

"You're not relaxing," Korra's voice came from beside him.

He exhaled and tried to let the tension out of his muscles, but was unsuccessful. "Maybe I should just -," he was cut short by the feeling of her body curl into his side. Her head propped up to rest on his chest, and he could feel one of her hands rest on his stomach, her hair tickled his neck.

"See? I'm fine. Now go to sleep."

Her body heat spread into him, and he slowly eased up, feeling himself sink gently into the mattress. Slowly, he wrapped his arms around her, and she snuggled in closer, one of her legs snaking around his. He closed his eyes, his grip tight on her, and tried to let sleep come. But after a few moments, thoughts crept back into his mind and before he knew it, he was tense again, and his fingers were digging into her side.

"Ouch, that hurts," she said, wiggling under his hand.

He let go, "Sorry."

She turned her face up to look at him. "Nothing is going to happen, Mako."

Instinctively, his hand went to her head, his fingers sliding through her hair. She leaned into his touch and rested against him again, her pointer finger drawing small shapes on his stomach, trying to distract him. "You know, I quite like this side of you," she said and smiled. "It's amusing to watch."

He shoved her gently, and she chuckled. At the sound of her laughter a smile pulled at the corners of his mouth.

"This brings back memories," she whispered after a moment. Mako agreed, holding her like this again, made the six months of their relationship come flooding back. He missed it. He missed her.

"Yeah," he agreed, closing his eyes once more as he continued to run his fingers through her hair.

The quietness expanded, and he thought she was asleep, but the quickness in her heart beat told him otherwise. "Mako?"

"Yeah?"

Her mouth went dry, "You know I still love you, right?"

His hand stilled and he forgot to breathe. "I know," he said. "And I still love you too."

The silence of the night took over, and he heard her sigh, then gentle snores came from her mouth. His arm went around her protectively, and he finally relaxed into peaceful sleep, knowing that with her in his arms, everything is destined to be just fine.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading! :D Makorra is, and forever will be, by babies. I adore them so much. Though I'm still salty for the how the show ended, I respect everyones ships :) xo


End file.
